I'm writing this as a brain-dump that happened during a lunchtime walk...
James Bach made a very interesting post this weekend, here, and there has been a deal of discussion about it - both on blog and off.
Bundled into the comments religion started popping up - religion is a powerful metaphor - it distils some of the intensity around the distinctions. That kick-started my right-hemispere into overdrive...
Declaration of intent?
I've never come out and said I'm a context-driven tester - I've never felt the need - I don't (or try not to) preach (I had enough of that at school), and I'm not a missionary for the church of xxxx testing.
So, what do I do?
Well, I try to do my testing job in the best way I can, with the learnings and leaning that I have. If you've looked at some of my reading list, here, you'll understand that only a part of my learning is geared towards "traditional software development". Yes, the human aspect is very important - understanding how behaviour, bias, thinking traps, thought processes and group dynamics affect the product under development - starting day 1.
I conciously apply elements of systems thinking to the problems I work with (it's very evident when I work with someone from the analytic or factory school) - but I must treat the problem on its merits, how else can I give it my best input.
Does this make me a CDT?
Maybe, but not on its own.
But even when I work with people with strong analytic/factory tendencies my aim is to leave them with the impression of the value my input is bringing.
Does this make me a missionary/franchiser?
Maybe. But in a "nice machiavellian" way.
But, at the end of the day, I'm in it for me - I'm responsible for my learning - and it's that approach that I hope comes across to people I work with. Yes, I look at problems differently from some. Sometimes they want to look at the problems "my way". Then I just think, "result"!
Either way, context is very important to the problems I deal with. My toolbox is forever growing - as their is no best toolbox - and a big part of my work is geared towards tester-to-non-tester communication. So,
- CDT? Maybe.
- CDT atheist? Maybe.
- Good tester? Hopefully.
- CDT community wannabe? Yes.
- Big toolbox? Definitely!
Have you thought about testing from the school, religion, cult or community perspective?
Great post Simon.
ReplyDeleteI have concerns about all this labelling that is starting to happen in our craft.
I get very worried once words such as religion and cult are used to describe a way of thinking. Throughout history the use of these words to describe radical thinkers has caused much suffering and a lot worse.
I think within out great community we can learn from all the different approaches 'schools' since depending on what I am doing or being paid to do at the time will depend on which approach I will use.
I personally do not wish to be labelled in any particular 'school', maybe it is a childhood thing I do not like the use of labels.
I am a tester (hopefully a good tester), that is it.